Typically, track-type vehicles comprise track assembly that usually includes an endless belt, which wraps around a drive wheel, an idler wheel and a number of guide wheels supporting a lower ground engaging run of the track. The inner surface of the endless belt has a number of extending guide lugs, which are guided through a channel formed by the wheel arrangement. During use of the vehicle, the drive wheel rotates and engages the endless belt thereby causing the belt to rotate around the path defined by the drive wheel, idler wheel and guide wheels. Rotation of the endless belt causes each of the guide lugs to pass through the channel defined by the drive wheel, idler wheel and each of the guide wheels. Having the guide lugs passing through the guiding channel enables the belt to remain within the rolling path.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,129,426 issued in 2000 discloses a tracked vehicle with a guide wheel assembly that may be retrofitted and positioned in the track assembly in place of previously used single wheels.
There is still a need in the art for a wheel assembly allowing mounting a plurality of wheels on a single housing in conditions of limited access thereto.